A rare Stokes drop

196-4 (70.2), Joe Root to BJ Watling, no run

A moment as costly to England as it was surprising. Two balls after bringing himself on to bowl as England’s pace attack failed to deliver in the first 80 minutes of the day, Joe Root so nearly had BJ Watling. Perhaps over anticipating the degree to which Root turns the ball, Watling could only outside edge it to Stokes at slip.

[caption id=”attachment_128049″ align=”alignnone” width=”800″] Ben Stokes reacts after an uncharacteristic drop[/caption]

Coming low towards Stokes at a non-threatening pace, England’s gun all-action, all-conquering superstar inexplicably spilt the chance. Root did manage to dismiss the well set Henry Nicholls two balls later but the Stokes drop not only summed up England’s slightly sloppy day in the field but it let the understated Watling off the hook. Watling made the most of his second life. By Yas Rana

Root backs himself

222-5 (82.1), Joe Root to BJ Watling, no run

A skiddy length ball that BJ Watling pushed calmly into the off side, but one that confirmed that, despite the new ball having become available 10 minutes before lunch, England would wait until after the interval to take it. It was one in a series of puzzling decisions taken by England’s captain, and, taken altogether, they allowed New Zealand to set up a position from which they could carve out a match-defining lead.

Archer ramps it up

276-5 (95.5), Jofra Archer to BJ Watling, no run

[caption id=”attachment_128048″ align=”alignnone” width=”800″] Jofra Archer endured a frustrating day[/caption]

A rocket, albeit one negotiated like it was a butterfly by the unflappable BJ Watling. A ball earlier, Jofra Archer had been denied his first wicket of the Test as England’s LBW appeal was struck down on review, and he continued to nudge into the upper reaches of the speed gun for the remainder of his spell, but to no avail. Watling repelled him, as he did everything else all day.

Sibley stunner emphasises Stokes’ absence

316-6 (110.1) Colin de Grandhomme c Dom Sibley b Ben Stokes 65 (108)

It was a catch worthy of Ben Stokes, but this time England’s prime all-rounder was the bowler, with debutant Dom Sibley taking up the role of fielder. That he was at gully at all was only due to Rory Burns having left the field due to injury attempting another spectacular catch, but the grab, low to his right as Colin de Grandhomme tried to keep his glide down, showed he was more than just a stand-in.

It also raised the question of where Stokes had been all day. He only bowled eight overs in the opening three-and-a-half sessions of New Zealand’s reply, even after claiming a wicket on day two.

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Watling stakes his claim

364-6 (124.5) Sam Curran to BJ Watling, one run

BJ Watling is remarkable in his unremarkableness. When he’s batting, you barely notice him, with his studious defensive technique keeping it out over and over again, and the nurdled single his favoured shot. He’s also by some way the best keeper/batsman in the world, and appears to have reached a new level this year, with his last knock before this one another unbeaten century, in Sri Lanka.

A scurried single took him to a hugely valuable and fully deserved hundred. It was about as far as you could get from bringing up a century with a flourish, and also entirely in keeping with an unfussy knock from an unfussy, world class player.

Archer’s knuckle ball not enough to prise out Watling

387-6 (134.5) Jofra Archer to BJ Watling, no run

[caption id=”attachment_128051″ align=”alignnone” width=”800″] BJ Watling reviews after being struck on the pad by Jofra Archer[/caption]

After blowing hot and cold for most of day three, the very best of Jofra Archer almost accounted for the hitherto impregnable BJ Watling. Rather than raw speed, it was a canny variation that foxed the keeper, with a knuckle ball moving in miles in the air to strike Watling on the pad. However, the centurion was in such good touch that he even managed to graze an edge on this beauty, and was reprieved on review. It was that kind of day for England and Archer.